Does This Look Like A Guy Who Cares If You Have Rhabdomyolysis?

Three Oregon football players were hospitalized after enduring a series of grueling strength and conditioning workouts at Oregon last week. Multiple sources compared the workouts to military basic training, including up to an hour of continuous push-ups and up-downs. They were diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis, which is a condition in which damaged skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly. Symptoms include muscle pains, weakness, vomiting, and confusion.

What is Rhabdomyolysis? Are there horse socks? Is anybody listening to me? Well, I’m not a doctor, but WebMD is telling me that this is in fact a real condition, and not just a made up word. Apparently it is caused from extreme physical exercise which weakens your muscles. Again, not a doctor, but it sounds to me like it is just a more severe version of dehydration, and a potential way to eliminate weakness.

For the first time since 2004, Oregon did not make a bowl game. Which means players were left to workout on their own during the winter break. Taggart alluded to getting bigger and stronger during his introductory press conference, and he is already delivering. They may have been able to get away with that type of 4-8 bullshit under the old regime, but not on Willie’s watch.

New strength and conditioning coach Irele Oderinde will certainly not stand for this unacceptable behavior either. I mean just look at that guy. He is the epitome of an alpha male. I’m intimidated just looking at him. I saw his picture and gasped as I jumped back in my chair. My brain subconsciously told me to run. It was that natural fight or flight reaction. My instincts told me I was in danger. They say fear is the greatest motivator, and I guess we’re going to find out in Eugene, Oregon.

Surprisingly, there has been some negative push back from this news surfacing. Shocking, I know.

Physical punishment/pain does NOT create toughness…Oregon football players hospitalized after 'strength' training https://t.co/Ghlvs78YzA

Fuck that! I am so sick of the (liberal) media’s attack on football. This is what the sport is. It’s tough. It’s physical. It’s grueling. It’s dangerous (gasp!) Taggart’s job is to take these boys and turn them into men. There are over 90 players on the roster, and just because 3 of them chose to not stay in shape over break, you want to scold Willie? It’s not Willie’s fault, it’s those individual players fault for not loving football enough.

Taggart has a tough task ahead of him at Oregon. Chip Kelly is not walking through that door. These next few years will be crucial toward changing the perception of Oregon’s program. It can make or break them. Will they just be a flash in the pan program who were successful for a brief period of time? Or will they elevate themselves to be considered among the elite programs across the county. I wonder how Steve Magness or Tomi Baffoe will feel when Oregon is finally strong enough in the trenches to go toe to toe with the likes of Stanford.

P.S – I couldn’t imagine doing an hour of continuous push-ups and up-downs. I can’t even do ten push-ups, let alone continuously for even ten seconds.